중앙데일리

Korean Gov＇t Pursuing U.S. Damage Compensation for Defoliant Victims

May 15,2000

The Korean government is currently pursuing negotiations with Washington to discuss damage compensation for Koreans who are suffering the ill effects of exposure to U.S. produced defoliants during the Vietnam War, a foreign ministry official stated Monday.

The official said, ＂No country has yet filed a lawsuit against the United States from a government-level. The Korean government is not trying to institute legal proceedings, but seeking damage compensations for the victims through diplomatic negotiations.＂

The official also stressed, ＂If the government brings a lawsuit to a U.S. court on behalf of its citizens, it would signify giving up its national sovereignty.＂ He added that even if such action takes place, there is a high possibility of losing the legal battle, which would make the negotiations on compensation even more difficult.

It is possible, however, for individuals and civic groups to sue U.S. defoliant-producers and such lawsuits are actually in litigation at the moment, he explained.

The Korean government had sent a director-level official to the United States in September last year to propose negotiations and is currently pushing to hold the negotiations sometime this year.